Glory Seed Devotional 05/23/2014

[LostSheep]

Amen Gary! Very encouraging words indeed!

[Crusty Christian]

A Planting of Faith Seeds for the Glory of the LORD
Belief, testing, faith, you, and Jesus…

“These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure. This purity of faith is worth more than gold, which can be proved to be pure by fire but will ruin. But the purity of your faith will bring you praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is shown to you. You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You cannot see him now, but you believe in him… So prepare your minds for service and have self-control. All your hope should be for the gift of grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you.” (1 Peter 1:7–8, 13, NCV)

Faith is multifaceted over the years I have discovered by trial and error in one respect faith is our beliefs put to the test. Somewhere in Romeo, Michigan is the Ford Motor Company Proving Grounds where new cars are put to a series of tests to see if the cars hold up under the pressure of strenuous testing. In a similar manner Life is a Proving Grounds where each of us is put through a series of tests to see if we hold up under the pressure of strenuous testing.

However, unlike the cars at the Ford Proving Grounds we have and unseen force that ensures we will pass any test put to us the unseen force I am referring to is our belief in Jesus Christ. Yet even our belief in Jesus has an unseen force behind it that ensures our belief when tested becomes faith that Jesus is not only present but will see to it that we pass any test put to us and that unseen force I am referring to is the Holy Spirit.

One of my favorite illustration/demonstration of belief/faith is, “You have not seen Christ, but still you love him. You cannot see him now, but you believe in him.” I believe what is more important than the ministry of Jesus is Jesus himself. “But you believe IN him,” Peter writes, he does not write, “But you believe in what he can do.”

Paul was told, “…My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you…” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NCV) While God’s grace like faith is multifaceted when the bible speaks of God’s grace the first thing that comes to my mind is God’s presence. In other words Paul was told by God, “My presence is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you,” it is God’s presence in our lives from which we draw his “perfect power” which is God’s power designed specifically for each situation the Holy Spirit is the active presence of Jesus and is the “conveyor” of God’s perfectly designed power our belief in our relationship with Jesus becomes faith.

Because the scripture reads, “will be yours when Jesus Christ is shown to you,” some may get the impression that Jesus is shown after our testing yet the scriptures testify of Jesus’ presence IN the testing. For example Jesus was IN the boat with the disciples as it floundered and nearly sank.

When tested look for Jesus and experience the Holy Spirit they are the presence of God bearing gifts of God that will turn your belief into the power of faith.

Believe it! Experience it!
Grace and PEACE!
Gary

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“The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him, and he helps me. I am very happy, and I praise him with my song.” (Psalm 28:7, NCV)

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"Scriptures marked NCV are quoted from The Holy Bible, New Century Version, copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, Dallas, Texas 75039. Used by permission."